FBI searches Syar Sonoma office | Napa Valley Register

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FBI searches Syar Sonoma office

Owner says he’s ‘baffled’ but cooperating

Saturday, March 31, 2007

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By Register Staff and press reports

Syar Industries CEO James Syar said Thursday he was puzzled by an FBI search of the company’s Sonoma County field office earlier that day.

“We don’t know what the focus of the investigation is,” Syar told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. “We haven’t been accused of any wrongdoing and we don’t know of any wrongdoing.”

The paper reported Thursday FBI agents swept into a Syar Industries asphalt yard in Santa Rosa and seized office records.

An FBI representative in San Francisco said a search warrant was served, but refused to provide details. She said court records had been sealed at the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco. Those records would include the application for a search warrant for the property.

Syar told the Press Democrat he didn’t know what the FBI was looking for or exactly what records agents seized.

“We are cooperating with anything and everything that they ask,” he told the Register.

Syar also said he is “baffled” by the search because the company doesn’t keep many records at the asphalt plant. He said company officials have not been interviewed by the FBI and was not aware of any other searches. The company is one of the largest suppliers of asphalt and aggregate, used to make cement, in the state and operates in seven counties, with headquarters in Napa.

The Napa location was not part of Thursday’s search.

5 comment(s)

Larry wrote on Mar 30, 2007 10:07 AM:

" Im sure we will hear more. "

alark92843 wrote on Mar 30, 2007 11:58 AM:

" The people that receive search warrant should have reason. If not that is Nazi tactics and againest the law "

Ami wrote on Mar 30, 2007 1:20 PM:

" Reasons aren't given to ensure that the integrity of the search isn't jeopardized. If whatever law enforcement is looking for is actually in the home of one of the employees, and not in the office, giving them the reason for the search gives them a chance to go home and hide or destroy what could eventually be used as evidence. Search warrants are only issued after there is sufficient evidence given by law enforcement to a judge in order to have it approved. I don't think the Nazi's went through such appropriate channels, nor do I think that there is a law that states that potential suspects have the right to know why they are being searched. The law only states that they have the right to know why they are being arrested, if it comes to that. "

Baffled but cooperating? wrote on Mar 30, 2007 6:12 PM:

" Why cooperate if you're baffled? Nothing worse than being harassed by the cops for something you didn't do. "

anonymouse wrote on Mar 30, 2007 10:03 PM:

" The Democrat mentioned possible dishonest quality assurance documentation, I for one would like to know I am driving at 70 miles an hour on a safe roadway. "

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